LANCASHIRE Constabulary has been awarded more than £50,000 to help attract new recruits from minority ethnic groups.

The force is one of nine to be awarded funding under the Police Reform Delivery Programme, co-ordinated by the Association of Police Authorities.

The announcement was made at the APA's national conference in Manchester - but an Asian community leader today told the force that keeping existing ethnic staff happy and kicking out racists, would help it achieve its targets .

On August 31, Lancashire Police had 85 ethnic officers out of a force strength of 3,524 - 2.41 per cent. It also had 47 ethnic non-uniform staff out of 1,881 - 2.5 per cent. Its target is to have 3 per cent in both sections by March 2004.

Association chairman, Dr Ruth Henig, who is also chairman of Lancashire Police Authority, said: "We believe the nine chosen projects have the potential to make a significant difference to policing in our local communities."

The project in Lancashire - "Towards Equal Representation" - will address under-representation of minority ethnic groups in the Constabulary's Eastern and Pennine divisions. Welcoming the funding, Deputy Chief Constable and force diversity champion Steve Finnigan said: "The award of £53,000 will allow us to work towards our goal of ensuring our organisation mirrors the proportionality of communities in Lancashire. That will allow us to provide a truly representative service to those communities.

"This project will look to strengthen existing partnerships with agencies and the local minority ethnic organisations and communities. It will allow us to concentrate on the two specific policing areas (Blackburn and Burnley) where the need is greatest. We want to build upon the existing trust and confidence of our communities, in particular our minority ethnic communities."

The project will aim to recruit local people to become police officers, special constables, and police staff in Eastern and Pennine divisions. Those areas of the county have the highest minority ethnic populations, but the greatest under-representation across the force.